Online platform giant pays only £1.7m corporation tax

Amazon reported turnover of nearly £2bn in its accounts for the year to 31 December 2017. This compares with £1.5bn in the previous year. The figures which are publicly available from Companies House show pre-tax profits were £72.4m with the multinational paying £1.7m UK corporation tax.

This inspired MP Margaret Hodge to tweet: ‘#Amazon are acting outrageously by not paying their fair share of tax on profits earned in the UK. They use public services but fail to pay for them. They undercut our high streets destroying British jobs and businesses. Time for the govt to get tough!’

Noting that the accounts were for Amazon UK Services Ltd – the fulfilment company that provides delivery services for goods bought from Amazon – Heather Self partner at Blick Rothenberg said: ‘The actual sales of goods are reported through a Luxembourg company Amazon EU Sarl. That...